


Felis Catus

by FHC_Lynn



Series: Broken Windows [16]
Category: Transformers - All Media Types, Transformers Generation One
Genre: Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-17
Updated: 2017-01-17
Packaged: 2018-09-18 05:33:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 812
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9370172
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FHC_Lynn/pseuds/FHC_Lynn
Summary: Prowl turned out not to be a dog person.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Aerylon](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aerylon/gifts).



> Holiday gift with the idea that Prowl could enjoy cats in his office

Vaguely reminiscent of Ravage, Prowl had only caught glimpses of the animal slipping in and out of his office at regular intervals. At first, he had been concerned. No one had reported trouble with local fauna during their press visits or defensive runs to human habitation centers. Here, in the _Ark_ ’s wreckage, buried under the old lava flows of St. Hilary’s, domestic house cats were rather uncommon.

Reluctant to scare or harm the animal more than its arrival here might have done so, Prowl asked Spike’s father for his assistance in dealing with the small guest. His understanding of local human culture meant more upset if he stepped on the cat than the vermin that had moved into the _Ark_ during their stasis.

Carly turned up at Prowl’s office with animal fuel and something she referred to as a live trap the next day. By then, Prowl had collected as much footage of the tiny animal as Red Alert’s surveillance could detect of it. And he felt compelled to ask about the physical anomalies between his guest and the images he had tagged in his memory for Earth’s domestic feline species.

“Oh, no.” Carly breathed from her perch on his desk. “Poor little thing.”

“I do not understand. Will you please elaborate?”

“Well, she’s a good mouser. Gotta give her credit. Wow,” Carly said as the video capture showed the animal dispatching some of the ever-present vermin that had moved into the ship with them. She kicked the back of one heel against Prowl’s desk. “Uh, she’s a she and pregnant. That’s what the waddle and bulge there mean, I think. Guessing she’s a feral from somewhere. It’s winter, and they’ll sneak into car engines, if the car’s been running, because the engines are warm. I’m guessing she got stuck in one of our cars or one of you guys. I mean, you _are_ warm all the time.”

“She? This creature uses the same alternate pronouns as you?”

“Yeah,” Carly laughed. “She does. I mean, one day, maybe, I’ll have a bulge and waddle like that. We’ll see. Not my first pick, but… Well, whatever. So, we can set up the trap. There are some farmers that would be glad to have her a bit closer to town…”

“She kills the vermin,” Prowl said, toggling the view to another recorded kill.

“Well, yeah. They’re small carnivores.” Carly tilted her head, looking up at him. “What’re you thinking?”

“She is shy and seems very intelligent for… Hmm. She hides from us and has reduced the number of vermin in this area of the ship very effectively.”

“You want to keep her? I didn’t have you pegged as a cat person. I’d’ve thought you’d want a dog.” Carly’s grin puzzled him, but he had learned that humans were no more comprehensible than his own people.

“I have not stepped on a rodent since she arrived. That is a very pleasant change, Carly. Will she need any special care? Other than me announcing my presence so she will know not to get underfoot?”

“Well, she might need some veterinary care, I guess. Shots to keep her from getting ill. That might be kind of hard to arrange,” Carly said dubiously. “And if she’s pregnant, there’ll be kittens. Those are small and very stupid. Kind of like the rodents, only dumber because they don’t know to be afraid yet.”

“Hmm. That might be a problem,” Prowl murmured, gaze focused on the footage.

In his peripheral vision, he saw Carly glance between him and the display. Grinning, she said, “How about we leave the trap here? I have some ideas about kitten proofing your office. They are only young and dumb for a couple of months, if you can handle being careful. But if you squish a cat, Prowl, I will be very disappointed in you.”

“It would not happen intentionally --”

“Yeah, but I _like_ cats…”

Prowl glanced to the human, considering. “I would never intentionally harm an ally, Carly. Nor an ally’s offspring. I will learn whatever care you believe I need.”

“Fine, then. If she and her kittens work for your rodent problem, I guess we can talk about bringing in others. But, you know, we should get them all fixed. We’re out in the middle of a nature preserve. I don’t want the game wardens freaking out about bobcats getting interbred or starving.”

“I will take any advice under consideration, Carly. I, too, do not wish to upset officials and neighbors.”

“I know you wouldn’t. C’mon. We’re going to need some things now, and you can take me out to get them. Down.” She lifted her arms up, patiently waiting for him to move her to the ground. “And you’d best be prepared for the work involved. Or make it a task for the duty roster. Let me start by explaining litter boxes…”


End file.
